אֶתְמוֹל
'etmól
The English word "yesterday" is translated into Hebrew as אֶתְמוֹל ('etmól). Wiktionary also lists אֶמֶשׁ ('émesh).
Meaning: day before today (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| אֶתְמוֹל | 'etmól | |
| אֶמֶשׁ | 'émesh | formal, poetic |
The word refers to the day before today. It can function as a noun or an adverb meaning "on the day before today."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form אֶמֶשׁ is used in formal or poetic contexts.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
'etmól
Did you know?
- In Hebrew, the concept of 'yesterday' is tied to the Jewish calendar where the day begins at sunset. This means that 'yesterday' technically starts halfway through the previous Gregorian day.
- If you want to say 'the day before yesterday', you do not say 'two days ago', but instead use the single word שִׁלְשׁוֹם, which is numerically linked to the number 'three'.
- While English speakers use 'yesterday' as a specific point in time, Hebrew speakers sometimes use the concept of 'yesterday' in idioms to refer to a previous, outdated way of thinking or a 'former' version of something.
Examples in context
- אני קראתי את הספר הזה אתמול.I read this book yesterday.
- אמש הייתי עסוק מאוד בעבודה.Yesterday, I was very busy with work.
- הם הגיעו מבריטניה אתמול.They arrived from Britain yesterday.
- לפי החדשות אתמול, תראה איזה חדשות מעניינות!According to yesterday's news, look at some interesting news!
- אמש יצאתי לאכול פיצה טעימה.Yesterday, I went out to eat delicious pizza.
- היה גשם אֶתְמוֹל.haya geshem etmol.It rained yesterday.
- הלכתי לישון מאוחר אֶתְמוֹל.halachti lishon me'uchar etmol.I went to sleep late yesterday.
- אֶתְמוֹל הייתי מאוד עסוקה.etmol hayiti me'od asuka.Yesterday I was very busy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yesterday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Oh what a useful explanation, thank you so much. Now I know to say “אתמול הייתי רופא עדשים”.